[Drivesthebeast]

I'm curious to see what people on this forum from the Ottawa area think about the sheer volume of traffic that is on the Queensway at night, and why the heck it's moving so slowly.

Malia and I had gone to see Transformers 2 at the Collesium on Carling last night, and when we left, I decided to go a couple more blocks west, and take the Bayshore/Richmond Road ramp onto the Queensway to get to Parkdale. It was between 10 and 10:30 by the time we were driving, and I couldn't believe the sheer volume of traffic, and couldn't understand why it was only flowing between 90 and 105 km's/hr. What gives? Where does the volume come from, and why is it moving so slow at that time of day?

[darkpuppet]

my 2 cents about ottawa.

- Everyone lives on the outskirts of town
- Everything to do is in town
- There's no subway system

So everyone who wants to do anything in Ottawa has to drive, and it's narrow streets and lacking public transit is the likely cause.

[reldridge]

darkpuppet,Jun 28 2009, 08:47 PM Wrote:my 2 cents about ottawa.

- Everyone lives on the outskirts of town
- Everything to do is in town
- There's no subway system

So everyone who wants to do anything in Ottawa has to drive, and it's narrow streets and lacking public transit is the likely cause.
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That, and the Queensway is the only efficient way in or out of the west end. I drive it every day, and how I pray that they sometime get off their asses and get light-rail or a proper ring road build.

[patrick23]

reldridge,Jun 29 2009, 05:27 AM Wrote:

darkpuppet,Jun 28 2009, 08:47 PM Wrote:my 2 cents about ottawa.

- Everyone lives on the outskirts of town
- Everything to do is in town
- There's no subway system

So everyone who wants to do anything in Ottawa has to drive, and it's narrow streets and lacking public transit is the likely cause.
[right][snapback]290305[/snapback][/right]

That, and the Queensway is the only efficient way in or out of the west end. I drive it every day, and how I pray that they sometime get off their asses and get light-rail or a proper ring road build.
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agree. it's pathetic to think that it's our national capital and it's lacking transport systems. shoud have more roads or RLT

[Flofocus]

darkpuppet,Jun 28 2009, 08:47 PM Wrote:my 2 cents about ottawa.

- Everyone lives on the outskirts of town
- Everything to do is in town
- There's no subway system

So everyone who wants to do anything in Ottawa has to drive, and it's narrow streets and lacking public transit is the likely cause.
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...add construction to that list. West end is always under construction.

...that said...cry me a river :P

I'll take the 'traffic' Ottawa deals with anyday before Toronto or Montreal traffic.

I had one of my testers from Toronto stay with us this week at my house and we had to commute everyday to Ottawa. 1) he couldnt beleive I lived 1/2 hour outside of the city. 2) he couldnt beleive it took me a 1/2 hour to drive into the city. :P :lol:

[darkpuppet]

I think it's all a matter of what traffic you get used to.

Ottawa is unique in that you have to navigate that unbroken line of buses that substitutes for a subway... and I swear it has more one way streets downtown than Toronto does.

That being said, Toronto has it's problems too -- like severe lack of highways in and out of the city core, heavy pedestrian traffic and a high population of immigrants who took a much easier drivers test than the rest of us.

[Jmountney1]

darkpuppet,Jun 30 2009, 01:50 PM Wrote:I think it's all a matter of what traffic you get used to. 

Ottawa is unique in that you have to navigate that unbroken line of buses that substitutes for a subway... and I swear it has more one way streets downtown than Toronto does.

That being said, Toronto has it's problems too -- like severe lack of highways in and out of the city core, heavy pedestrian traffic and a high population of immigrants who took a much easier drivers test than the rest of us.
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in no way am i racist.

butt...

i live in bancroft a town of 3500 people. and every week a bus full of foreigners comes to bancroft and like 5 or 6 toronto driving school/instructer cars and they all get there licence.

like i believe that if you live in Toronto you should have to pass your driving test in Toronto.

take into consideration there is 3 sets of traffic lights in the hole town of Bancroft.

but noo they don't make it easier for people who are from a diff country to get there license.

[Drivesthebeast]

The traffic in Ottawa is backwards...

On the Queensway they drive 80-110 km's/hr, but on the secondary/side streets, everyone is doing 70-80 in 50 zones.

I generally drive 120 on the 417, even across town. I feel kinda guilty passing everone, with a "Baby on Board" sign in the back window...lol

I will agree that while the traffic here isn't the best, it is most certainly better than the GTA or Montreal. Except for when the OC transpo goes on strike at christmas, and there's already 2-3 feet of snow on the roads, and one of the bridges over to Gatineau is closed...then life in Ottawa is grand...lol

[ZX3guy2000]

Drivesthebeast,Jun 30 2009, 10:49 AM Wrote:The traffic in Ottawa is backwards...

On the Queensway they drive 80-110 km's/hr, but on the secondary/side streets, everyone is doing 70-80 in 50 zones.

I generally drive 120 on the 417, even across town.  I feel kinda guilty passing everone, with a "Baby on Board" sign in the back window...lol

I will agree that while the traffic here isn't the best, it is most certainly better than the GTA or Montreal.  Except for when the OC transpo goes on strike at christmas, and there's already 2-3 feet of snow on the roads, and one of the bridges over to Gatineau is closed...then life in Ottawa is grand...lol
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And heaven forbid it actually rain. When it rains the speed on the queensway drops to about 80...... and that is the left lane !!!